Fluorescent lamp fixture



Sept- 26, 1944- o. H. BIGGS YETIAL 2,358,784

FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed July 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 56.5 Ozazrc'tt H 31-665 CHARLES E MA a C41? THY INVENTOR.

ZQMWW AT-rotJvEY Sept. 26, 1944.

o. HQBIGGS E TAL FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed July 19. 1940 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 OKKICK H Elsa/5' CHAELES E M CCAETH IN VENTOR.

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A-rro/e NE Y Patented Sept. 26, 1944 Orrick 11-? mm.

Beverly, and Charles .F.

MacCarthy, Salem,'Mass., assignors to Syivanla; Electric Products Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July is, 1940, serial No. 346,354

3 Claims.

This invention relates to electric gaseous discharge lamps and in particular to apparatus and flxtures for operating such lamps.

Since electric gaseous discharge lamps require certain auxiliary equipment fortheir proper operation, provision must be made for a suitable ahousing therefor.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide aflxture' which .will adequately provide for. all auxiliary equipment.

Another object is to provide a fixture which will have an adequate safety device to prevent 1 the lamps from falling out.

A further object is to provide a fixture which will hide from view the ends of the lamp, thus concealing any discoloration which might occur on the walls of the lamp near the electrodes.

Another object is toprovide a fixture which will obtain'a maximum of reflecting surface.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a detail of the end cap;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the lamp socket holder;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the end of the reflector;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the ends of the reflector and the chassis channel and the lamp socket holder; 7

Fig; 5 is a transverse cross-section of the fixture;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fixture partly in section;

Fig. '7 is a bottom view of the fixture showing one of the end caps in phantom section.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawlugs and in the specification which follows:

through several screws similar to screws 5. This even weight distribution not only prevents strains from being set up at various points along the chassis-but also obviates the possibility of the entire" fixture being thrown out of alignment. 1

The lamp socket holders 2, which 'hold the lamps IS, a detail of which is shown in Figure 2 are joined, one at each end of the chassis channel 4, as shown in Figure 4, byspot welding.

or some similar means. These lamp socket holders are made of sheet metal, such as autobody steel and have the holes 6 bored therein, through which the lamp sockets I as shown in Figure 5 are attached. By thus providing these lamp socket holders, the reflecting surface I, which is autobody steel with a baked white enamel fin-,.

ish, will not be scarred or chipped by the positioningof lamp sockets thereon. As shown in Figure 4, the reflecting surface, before it has re-v ceived its enamel coating, has appropriate slots 7 have a baked aluminum enamel finish. They are readily removed from the fixture for they are held to the chassis through the elongated slots 8 located in the mounting bracket section 9 of the end cap 3, and nubs atop the chassis, the end The fixture in this invention comprises four principal parts, the reflecting surface I, the lamp socket holders 2, the end caps 3, and the chassis 4.

Figures 4 and 6 show the reflecting surface I in its relation to the chassis 4. The reflecting surface I is made of sheet metal such as autobody steel and is joined to the chassis 4 which is a sheet metal channel also of autobody steel,

in such a manner that the reflecting surface I overlaps on the chassis 4. The screws 5 as showncaps being moved in over the ends of the chassis until the nubs become located within the slots 8. The mounting bracket 9 has the lipped extension |0 as shown in Figures 1 and 5. These lipped extensions In in conjunction with the elongated slots 8 serve to give the end caps a very positive and definite locking position on the end of the fixture, thereby preventing sidewise or lateral movement of the end caps.

These end caps serve a three-fold purpose. By providing a cap which will enclose the ends of the lamp, the so-called dark-ends" are hidden from view. These dark ends" consist of a discoloration of the walls of the lamp at each end near the electrodes and detract considerably from the appearance of the lamp and the fixture if they are not concealed in a manner similar to the one is more evenly distributed over the entire chassis than it would be if the sole support of the herein employed.

Anotherpurpose which the end cap serves is that it prevents a lamp which has become loosened from its sockets from falling out of the fixture entirely. If no end caps were used a lamp could fall out of the fixture and probably inJure somereflecting surface and its adjoining parts was one who might be working beneath it. The possibility of such a thing happening is not a remote one. for if one or more of the screws holding-the the lamp pins from their locking positions in the lamp sucketS.

A furtheradvantage'toibe gained by'the use of the end caps is that they prevent low angle radiation which would otherwise be present. The elimination of low angle radiation removes atendency towards a glaring condition at the rendsrottthe lamp.

The pipe hanger adapters l l .of cold rolled steel or some similar material are flared at their lower extension to give awide bearin g'suri'acel {These adapters may be joined to the chassis as shown in Figure 5 by'spot welding or somesimilar means. Although only one of thes adapters may be, used, it is advisable to use at least two in order to gain greater stability. These pipe hanger adapters are threaded-internally, for: the-reception therein of the pipe hangers l2 through whicnthe wiring connections [3 pass in their extension from the auxiliary equipment l {suspended from the chassis channel;

The contour of the reflecting. surface! is substantially'the' sameas shown in Figure 6 and is designed to give'a maximum of reflecting efiiciency.

What we claim is:

1. A-flxture for elongated tubular lamps comprising: electrical control apparatus for said lamps; a chassisfrom which said apparatus may be supported; brackets suspended from said chassis at each end'the'reof; lamp sockets attached to and projecting outwardly from said brackets: a convex reflector suspended from said chassis'and forming in conjunction therewith an enclosure for said electrical control apparatus,

.:said reflector having; slots therein through which "said lamp'sockets mayproject; :and end-caps at each end of said chassis, 'eachpt said caps-enclosing an end of said chassis andsreflector, .a

: :bracket, lamp sockets andthe "ends 101' 1 the lamps -.at thatend o! the vchassis said end lcaps'having their closed ends spaced-gsubstantiallyitransverse :to'the axis of said chassis ,and'havingzthelr longitudinal walls spacedirom the walls of the lamps and substantially parallel-thereto. 2. "In a fixture for elongated :tubularlamps -an assembly comprising an elongated reflector. memher having a convex outerreflector 'surface and arr-end cap enclosing each end-of. said :member; a bracketmounted {within-said assembly adjacent I eachof the ends thereof; a lampsocketmounted "on each of'said brackets-withits lamp'mountlng portion lying within .the'respective-end cap and outside or said reflector member; said reflector 20 member being mounted insaid-assem-blythrough attachments to its edges asxthe'only-connections thereto. p

3. In a flxture for elongated-.tubularlamps, an assembly comprising an elongated support, an 35 elongated reflector memberhavinga convex :outer reflecting surface, an end cap enclosing-each end of said reflector member and support, abracket mounted within said support adjacent reach for the ends thereof, alamp socket mountedon each 30 of said brackets withits lampmounting portion I lying outside of said reflector member so as 'to receive the ends of a tubular lamp, andmeans projecting from the edges of said reflector member and overlying the edges of the supportffor attaching the reflector member-thereto; saidedge attaching means constituting "the sole connection'oi the reflector member to the support.

ORRICK 'BIGGS. CHARLES MAcCAR'I'HY. 

